American Sign Language Training and Support Service RFV

American Sign Language Training and Support Service RFV

July 29, 2025

REQUEST FOR VENDORIZATION

(RFV)

AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE

TRAINING AND SUPPORT SERVICE

(Service Code 644)

Published Date: 7/28/2025

Closing Date: To Be Determined (TBD) and/or Until Need Is Filled

Project Overview and Background

North Los Angeles County Regional Center (NLACRC) is one of 21 private, nonprofit organizations that contract with the California Department of Developmental Services (DDS) to coordinate or provide services and supports to people with developmental disabilities and their families. NLACRC is seeking qualified individuals and agencies to provide American Sign Language Training and Support Services that will enable individuals who receive regional center services and are deaf, hard of hearing, or deafblind to lead full and inclusive lives. This published Request for Vendorization (RFV) will assist interested parties in finding out more information about the service and how to apply to become a provider.

Per the DDS Directive published July 2, 2025, the purpose of American Sign Language Training and Support Services is to assist Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing individuals receiving regional center services to be able to effectively communicate with others to enhance their wants and needs, access the community and develop relationships, among other important functions ( DDS Directive – American Sign Language Training and Support Service ).

To assist in ensuring services alleviate the identified need within this regional center, applicants must have a business or service address located in the NLACRC catchment, including the Antelope Valley (AV), Santa Clarita Valley (SCV), and San Fernando Valley (SFV). Interested individuals and agencies wishing to develop a service identified below must demonstrate that they possess the necessary, relevant professional experience and organizational capacity to create and sustain high quality, effective services that are responsive to the needs of the individuals served.

Minimum Qualifications for Applicants

Applicants must show they meet the following minimum qualifications listed below by providing supporting documentation through resume and applicable certifications:

1. Have language proficiency from an accredited or nationally recognized institution such as, but not limited to, the American Sign Language Proficiency Interview (ASLPI), Sign Language Proficiency Interview (SLPI), or other recognized language proficiency body.
2. Be assessed proficient to provide at least a level 4 rating on the ASLPI assessment, or a superior rating on the SLPI assessment.
3. Possess the ability to have a fully shared conversation with in-depth elaboration for both social and work topics, and excellent comprehension in receptive skills.
4. Demonstrate the use of a very broad sign language vocabulary, near native-like production, fluency and prosody and excellent use of sign language grammatical features, and classifiers

Calendar

American Sign Language Training and Support (644) Request for Vendorization (RFV) Calendar
Monday, July 28, 2025	American Sign Language Training and Support RFV Release Date
Tuesday, August 26, 2025, 3:00 p.m.	Informational Applicants’ Conference (via Zoom)
Ongoing Until Need is Met	Submission Deadline
Ongoing Until Need is Met	Evaluation of Proposals by the NLACRC Community Services Team
Ongoing Until Need is Met	Proposal Status (Complete/Incomplete) Emailed to Applicants

Applicants’ Conference

An informational meeting to answer questions about the

AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE TRAINING AND SUPPORT SERVICE

(Service Code 644)

Request for Vendorization (RFV)

will be held on

Tuesday, August 26, 2025

3:00 p.m.

The meeting is not required for those who wish to apply,

but is strongly recommended.

Zoom Meeting Details

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86082881733?pwd=J1bdHI5HnNUAdt4P4neIVGzGTTeiZR.1

Meeting ID: 860 8288 1733

Eligible Applicants

Both non-profit and proprietary agencies/organizations are eligible to apply. Applicants must have or be prepared to operate a business or service address located within the NLACRC catchment, including the Antelope Valley (AV), Santa Clarita Valley (SCV), and San Fernando Valley (SFV) ( Regional Center Lookup: CA Department of Developmental Services ). Additionally, interested parties must be in good standing with the California Secretary of State (SOS) and Franchise Tax Board. Applicants should be aware of related regulatory stipulations regarding ineligibility of vendorization due to Conflict of Interest (COI). Employees and Board members of Regional Centers are not eligible to apply. Applicants must disclose any potential conflicts of interest per Title 17 Section 54314 . Applicants that have been sanctioned in the last 12 months will not be eligible for vendorization.

Applicant Partnerships and Materials Submitted

Applicants who apply as partners must have full knowledge of the proposal packet and must demonstrate commitment to the project during start-up and ongoing operations. However, if a partner’s sole purpose is to provide financial backing to the project, the financial backer need only show financial commitment. If the partner’s role is only to provide technical support, the applicant receiving such support is responsible for all language contained in the RFV and the eventual program design.

Reservation of Rights

NLACRC reserves the right to request or negotiate changes in a proposal, to accept all or part of a proposal, or to reject any or all proposals. NLACRC may, at its sole and absolute discretion, select no provider for these services if, in its determination, no applicant is sufficiently responsive to the need. NLACRC reserves the right to withdraw this Request for Vendorization (RFV) and/or any item within the RFV at any time without notice. NLACRC reserves the right to disqualify any proposal which does not adhere to the RFV guidelines. This RFV is being offered at the discretion of NLACRC. It does not commit the regional center to award any grant. Please note that applicants must be in active status with NLACRC and other Regional Centers and may be disqualified for any of the following: receipt of Correction Action Plan (CAP), Sanction or Immediate Danger findings, failure to disclose any history of deficiencies or confirmed reports of consumer abuse, previous failure to perform, or unwillingness to comply with Title 17 and NLACRC best practices.

Costs for Proposal Submission

Applicants responding to the RFV shall bear all costs associated with the development and submission of a proposal.

Proposal Preparation Guide

The following information is provided to assist the applicant in preparing their proposal. All of the links indicated are to be used as resources in identifying the types of services, staffing requirements and rates for services:

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services:

• For more information about Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services and resources, visit Deaf, Hard of Hearing and DeafBlind Resources : CA Department of Developmental Services .
• Recognized organizations offering ASLPI or SLPI assessments:
  
  • Bridges Oregon: National Sign Language Assessment (NSLA) – Bridges Oregon
  • Gallaudet University: American Sign Language Proficiency Interview (ASLPI) | Gallaudet University

Rates:

• For the current rate of reimbursement for this service, visit ASL Training and Support .
• For information about the Quality Incentive Program published by DDS, please visit Quality Incentive Program (QIP) : CA Department of Developmental Services .

General Information

• For more information on the regional center service system, please visit California Department of Developmental Services .
• For more information on advocacy and initiatives within the regional center service system, please visit Association of Regional Center Agencies | Advocating on Behalf of Californians with Developmental Disabilities and the Regional Center System .

Proposal Content Requirements

Applicants are required to submit the Proposal Content Requirements below in PDF format. An applicant will be disqualified from consideration for failure to follow instructions, complete documents, or submit required documents. Additionally, submissions including documents not listed may be subject to disqualification.

1. Attachment A: Proposal Title Page

• Please use the attached Proposal Title Page at the link above. Provide the name, address, and telephone number of the applicant. Identify the author(s) of the proposal. Identify any parties who participated in writing all or part of the proposal.

1. Table of Contents
2. Attachment B: Statement of Obligation

• Please use the attached form.

1. Attachment C: Statement of Equity and Diversity

• Please refer to the attached guidelines.

1. Applicant’s Experience & Background

• Provide a summary of the applicant’s qualifications which includes all relevant education, experience, certifications, licensure, and trainings required by regulation to provide the services proposed.
• Provide a professional résumé with all relevant work experience.
• Provide a copy of any relevant certifications for your staff and/or organization, as applicable. Please note: You must currently have all valid certifications needed to be considered for vendorization of your proposed service. Failure to provide proof of certifications may result in rejection of proposal submission.
• Provide at least two (2) references with addresses and telephone numbers, and a statement permitting that references may be verified by NLACRC. Applicants should be aware that the selection committee will contact references or other sources to corroborate any information provided in the proposal.

1. Business Entity Documents

• If you have indicated that you are a business entity such as, but not limited to, a legal partnership, corporation or limited liability corporation articles of incorporation, articles of organization, fictitious business name statement (DBA), etc.

NLACRC Proposal Writing Guidelines

All proposals submitted must adhere to the following requirements:

• The NLACRC Proposal Title Page must be the first page of the proposal. The Proposed Service to be developed and Location must be indicated on the title page.
• Proposal must be a standard size, 8 ½ x 11 document.
• Proposal must be typed using a standard font (12 pt.).
• Complete submission must not exceed a total of 50 pages.
• Every page must be numbered consecutively.
• The proposal must include a Table of Contents that corresponds to Content Requirements.
• All sections of the Content Requirements must be addressed in the proposal.

An incomplete submitted proposal will be disqualified. Please review and audit all documents thoroughly to ensure all content requirements are included before submitting.

Submission of Proposals

All proposals must conform to the Proposal Content Requirements and Proposal Writing Guidelines. Proposals must be submitted via email to resourcedevelopment@nlacrc.org . Proposals that are faxed, mailed, or dropped off at NLACRC reception will not be accepted. Due to email file-size constraints, proposals may be broken up into multiple email messages. Be sure to label the emails based on the number of emails (e.g., 1 of 3, 2 of 3, etc.).

Inquiries/Request for Assistance

All inquiries regarding this application or requesting technical assistance should be directed to resourcedevelopment@nlacrc.org . Technical assistance is limited to information on the requirements for preparation of the application packet. Applicants are expected to prepare the documentation themselves or retain someone to provide such assistance. If an applicant chooses to retain assistance from another party, the applicant must be able to thoroughly address all sections of the proposal during the interview process and/or demonstrate that the party assisting with the application will have a continuing role in the ongoing operation of the program.

All inquiries regarding deaf services within the regional center may be sent to Ted Horton-Billard III, MPA, Deaf Services Specialist, at THortonBillard@nlacrc.org

Frequently Asked Questions

1. There are no start-up funds associated with this Request for Vendorization
2. Applicants are responsible for 100% of the cost of submission and if approved to move forward they are responsible for 100% of the initial start-up cost and continued maintenance of the business.
3. Per regulation, please be informed that, pursuant to Title 17 section 54322 (d) (10), Regional Centers cannot guarantee referrals.Resource Development staff must focus their time and efforts primarily on developing services that are considered critical to meet our consumers’ current needs. Additionally, it is in consumers’ best interest that service providers vendored with NLACRC are able to receive adequate referrals to maintain stable businesses over time. We strongly advise all applicants carefully consider the level of need for services they are qualified to provide before submitting a proposal and pursuing development of a particular service.
4. All individuals providing direct services must be staff and cannot be contracted (1099) employees.

Per Title 17, section 50607 (j) View Document – California Code of Regulations

Deadline for Submission of Proposals

Ongoing until need is met.